Pages

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Sonoma in January possesses a unique kind of beauty. Temperatures hover around a toasty 59 degrees, the rain spits from the thick fog cloaking the mountains, naked vines stand in stark contrast along the rolling patchy green hills. I'm relaxed and happy to be here for the first time with my best ladies.

On Saturday morning after an early check in at the Renaissance Marriot Lodge at Sonoma Resort + Spa our driver, David, of Intimate Wine Tours whisked us off to Healdsburg, a small city located in Northern Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley where we tasted wines at Bella Winery and Yoakim Bridge. Because of the 1:30 Patriots playoff game we only had time for two tastings before booking it over to Lagunitas in Petaluma to ensure prime seating in front of their one TV!

Post Lagunitas and a Patriots Win(!!) we headed back home to The Renaissance Lodge where we were just in time for their wine tasting happy hour, along with the rest of the hotel guests. After some hotel lobby shenanigans it was off to Sonoma Plaza for one last tasting. Our good natured driver, David, (now off the clock)joins in on the fun at Roche Winery Tasting Room before bidding us farewell until tomorrow. We make our way across the square fordinner at La Salette. Roche Winerypopular downtown Sonoma tasting room / outdoor patio on the square122 West Spain St.Sonoma, CA 95476

Monday, January 25, 2016

Sausalito is a dreamy little coastal town on the San Francisco Bay. Strolling along the quaint waterfront with trendy restaurants, coffee shops + art galleries and taking in picturesque views of the sprawling San Fran cityscape makes for a really nice afternoon.

We scored the perfect waterfront deck table at The Trident and had a fantastic lunch.There was tuna tartare, truffle fries and a crab Caesar salad, complimentedby a bottle of Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc.

Friday, January 22, 2016

We
are 20 days into 2016 and I've found my favorite meal of the year so
far! An impromptu girls trip over the long MLK weekend brought me to
California, and I'm so glad I decided to make the journey. When is girl time in SFO,
Sausalito and Sonoma ever a bad idea?!

The Progress located in the Western Addition neighborhood of San Francisco defines themselves as a vehicle for a completely local production. Innovative banquet-style
meals served with memorable wines. The greatest dinner party ever.

Turns out, it is one of the greatest (intimate in our case) dinner parties ever. Everything
about this place feels fresh and inspired. No one is doing it quite like
they are here. Take for instance their Manhattan ($12) made with a smooth and intense black butter bourbon, vermouth and bitters. They make the black butter in house before steeping itin the bourbon. We also drank some delicious and interesting wines including a Georges Descombes Gamay ($14)(Morgon, Beaujolais, France) and a Piquentum Refosk ($15) (Istra, Croatia).

Meals are shared family style for a fixed price of $58, starting with five rotating small plates served in a portion size to compliment your party. Pictured up close and personal are the bahri dates with hazlenut crema and some bite size roasted carrots with curried yogurt. The rest seen in the group photo include: smoked trout + seven pepper cracker, fish fry with kimchi tartar sauce, and buttermilk biscuits with apple bourbon black butter. These small tastes were a welcome prelude, and we had fun each ranking our favorites to least favorites.

Then you choose four meals. These are listed on the menufrom lightest to heaviest, with a recommendation to order two from the lighter section and two from the heavier section. We ended up with one light and three heavy - and although it was a bit too much food to finish as our waiter warned it would be, we were happy that we chose what spoke to us! These plates were truly remarkable and I urge anyone living in or planning a visit to the awesome city that is San Francisco to make a reservation here ASAP.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

I am excited about having Chinatown restaurants on the blogs radar lately. There are spots I have been frequenting for years that are finally getting their due. A couple weeks ago we took a look at Hei La Moon, then last week we talked Pho. Now, Avana Sushi. This hole-in-the-wall four seat counter is surrounded by about five tables in a mini-food court off of Beach Street. I typically grab takeout and bring it back to the office, but dining-in is also a treat! A waitress ensures you will always be well taken care of here despite the haphazard ambiance.

Boston Restaurants - enjoyed a terrific meal at the new Earl's in Assembly Row

[March]

Travel - It was all about the USVI and BVI this month. My cousins picture perfect wedding on St. John / a day trip to Water Island / 5 days on Virgin Gorda / a day trip to Anegada / a day at Coki Beach on St. Thomas / This trip is one of my favorite to reminisce on - I still get lost in the Caribbean landscapes and lifestyle; sparkling teal waters, azure sky, pristine beaches, fish tacos and painkillers for days, snorkeling with tropical wildlife for hours....Boston Restaurants - checked out the new Japanese Hot Pot Shabumaru in the Westin Copley / Feasted on Skrei (premium Norwegian Cod Fish) at Legal Harborside.

Pan Roasted Skrei Fish in a smoked mussel chowder @ Legal Harborside

[April]

Travel - I didn't get a post up a about it, but the day we all hiked and skied Tuckerman Ravine in New Hampshire was one for the memory books!Inspiration - Despite all of the Caribbean Sun in March, I was still okay returning home to Charlestown and the snowpocalypse.

[May]

Travel - Again with the travel posts taking up an entire month! I was really encouraged and inspired by my press trip to Cleveland, Ohio. If you are going to send me to a city and pay for my flights, hotel, dinners, drinks and experiences, you better believe I am going to soak in every detail and write honestly about it all in return.

Boston Restaurants - Select Oyster Bar was one of my favorite openings of 2015. If you haven't checked them out yet, make it a point to get there in 2016!

Inspiration - In a rare moment of downtime - home at my apartment on Bunker Hill Street in Charlestown.

Boston Restaurants -since I had been neglecting to keep up with the restaurant scene posts for months, I started a series of "where I've been lately" roundups. The June edition includes five all time favorites: Highball Lounge, Eastern Standard, Row 34, Island Creek Oyster Bar, and Shojo.

Travel - We spent a glorious amount of time outdoors. The month kicked of with back-to -back hiking and camping weekends in The White Mountains: Mount Madison + Osgood which was followed by Mount Washington + Dolly Cop. From there we took a week off and made the rounds: Bob's sisters house on Lake Winnipesauke --> A quaint Bed + Breakfast in Wellfleet --> my Mom's house in Yarmouthport. I actually didn't post anything about that week - it was a much needed escape for family time, us time, lake time and beach time.

Hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Boston Restaurants - Had a wonderful meal at Babbo Pizzera with the girls. I have recommended Babbo to quite a few friends and co-workers, everyone's feedback has been overwhelmingly positive / Tempo in Waltham treated me to a delicious evening.

Pizza, Squash Blossoms + Gelato @ Babbo

Inspiration - I partnered with Ribera Y Rueda Spanish Wines on their Si What's Next Campaign and had a ton of fun! Also, I moved in with Bob in Newton!

[September]

Travel - This summer we got an ORV beach pass and a paddleboard and had a lot of memorable weekends on Crowes Pasture. September is particularly great because it is still warm and all the tourists have faded out.....

Boston Restaurants - The November round up was for new comers: Branch Line in Watertown / Gracenote Coffee Roasters in the Leather District, and old favorites: Granary Tavern in the Financial District / Silvertone in Downtown Crossing. I also attended a slew of media dinners: Masa Taqueria in Woburn, Not Your Average Joe's in Waltham and Liquid Art House in Back Bay.

Inspiration - We hosted Thanksgiving! I took a hard hat tour of the under construction Godfrey Hotel located on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing right across the street from my office.